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Growing Through the Challenges of Life
Divorce
Divorce is one of life’s most stressful events affecting many important aspects of life – finances, children, social life – and, even if divorce is your choice, it can still be overwhelming. You will need to use the rational part of your mind as you make important decisions, communicate with your ex, and parent your children. At the same time, emotions may run high and your natural “fight, flight, or freeze” response may be triggered making it difficult to stay calm and make good decisions.
I help my clients navigate the practical and emotional aspects of divorce while also helping them envision the life they want to live and create an action plan for a happy and fulfilling future.
High Conflict Divorce
Some divorces are more complicated with greater conflict, violations of custody orders, and an inability to resolve issues. Being in a high conflict divorce is painful and happens when two people remain psychologically intertwined, even though they may be in a new relationship or have started a new family.
Having a high conflict ex can feel chaotic. They often threaten and instigate lawsuits, are unreliable with visitation and child support, create drama at pick ups and drop offs, and make daily routines painful and difficult. Communication can be hostile and harassing, or nonexistent, making it impossible to make plans for your children. Being in endless drama can be exhausting. If you are dealing with a high conflict ex, you may be experiencing:
Anxiety
Depressed mood
Decreased ability to concentrate at work or at home
Difficulty sleeping
Sense of hopelessness
Lack of self confidence
Social isolation
Anxious or depressed children
High conflict individuals aren’t necessarily bad people, but they use poor strategies to get their needs met. And this makes them really hard to deal with. They have trouble regulating their emotions, communicating calmly, and understanding that there can be different ways to solve problems.
Learning New Strategies for Divorce
I’m here to help you better understand your situation, develop strategies to navigate conflicts, and find greater success. These strategies include:
Minimizing contact with a high conflict ex
Developing effective communication skills
Setting and maintaining clear boundaries
Managing your own emotions and reactions
Managing stress
Helping your children feel safe and secure
You may not be able to change how your ex behaves. But you can change how you react and respond to them. I am here to help you develop skills and strategies to feel strong and self-confident and to start living the life you deserve. Having support while going through the divorce process can make this transition smoother for the whole family.
“Clove helped me find a therapist that I connected with, whose services aligned with my needs, and who was flexible with their scheduling. Clove helped me check off all the boxes.”
— LUISA H., CLOVE CLIENT